Nintendo has pushed back at suggestions Switch 2’s price – which has already left some fans reeling – was influenced by early US trade tariffs. But it admits the latest round of tariffs introduced by US president Trump last week are “something we’re going to have to address”.
When Nintendo unveiled Switch 2 last week, the response to the console’s price was swift and unhappy, particularly in the US, where it’s set to retail for $450 USD. At the time, many speculated the comparatively hefty price tag – it’s the most expensive Nintendo console to date – might have been reached in response to early tariffs imposed by the US.
However, when The Verge asked Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser how the company had settled on Switch 2’s price, he pointed to the console’s new and redesigned features, ranging from its bigger LCD screen to reworked Joy-Con controllers. “We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experiences and will understand that it has longevity to it,” Bowser explained. “And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price.”
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“Put [the 2nd April tariff announcement] aside,” Bowser added. “Any previous tariffs were not factored into the price itself.” He noted the company’s move “to diversify the places where we’re manufacturing our hardware and our accessories” – namely shifting away from China to Vietnam and Cambodia – had enabled it to get ahead of “the early stages of tariffs”. However, he admitted the Trump administration’s latest round of tariffs – which include 46 percent levies on Vietnam and 49 percent on Cambodia – are more problematic.